Postecoglou, Kerr, Mooy and FFA nominated in AFC Awards

Australians amongst nominees for major Asian football awards

The Asian Football Confederation has named Ange Postecoglou, Samantha Kerr and Aaron Mooy amongst the nominees in the AFC Annual Awards to be held in Bangkok on 29 November.

Postecoglou has been nominated as Coach of the Year along with Ishii Masatada and Takafumi Hori, both of Japan. Masatada was coach of Kashima Red Antlers until he was sacked earlier this year when the team did not make the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League (ACL). Hori is coach of Urawa Red Diamonds which plays in the second-leg of the final of this year's ACL against Al-Hilal next weekend.

Kerr has been nominated as AFC Player of the Year along with U-20 world champion striker Sung Hyang Sim of North Korea and defender Kumagai Saki of Japan. Matildas team mate Caitlin Foord won the award last year.

Mooy has been nominated as Asian International Player of the Year along with Shinji Kagawa of Japan, who plays with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, and Son Heung-min of South Korea, who plays in the Premier League with Tottenham.

FFA has been nominated in the AFC President's Recognition award for 'Inspiring' category - the category for larger and leading nations in the AFC as opposed to 'Developing' or 'Aspiring' nations - for their work in promoting grassroots football, a nomination that might be a surprise to many in grassroots football. Other nominees are China and Iran.

For both Kerr and Mooy it is further acknowledgement of the past 12 months of work.

Kerr has scored 31 goals for the Matildas, Perth Glory and Sky Blue FC in New Jersey. She also won the Julie Dolan Medal for W-League Player of the Year, the PFA Player of the Year, the NWSL Most Valuable Player and the FMA Player of the Year.

Mooy also won the PFA Player of the Year in 2017 and 2016, the FMA Player of the Year, and was named in the EFL Team of the Year for last season.

Whether Postecoglou will attend the awards ceremony will be a point of interest. It comes the day before the FFA AGM and EGM and two days prior to the Draw for the World Cup in Moscow (on 2 December Australian time). FFA's Chairman and CEO are reportedly keen to settle Postecoglou's future ahead of the EGM which may see FIFA install a Normalisation Committee.

The International Player of the award is not presented at the awards ceremony due to the commitments of the players, but the winner will be named on the night.